NHMRC values the importance of fostering effective partnerships between consumers, community members and researchers to achieve significant health outcomes through research.
Join us as we discuss the invaluable importance of consumer and community involvement in shaping health and medical research on Tuesday 17 June 2025 from 11:00-12:00 AEST.
In this webinar hosted by the Chair of the NHMRC-MRFF Consumer Advisory Group, Ms Ainslie Cahill AM, you’ll hear from the 2025 Biennial NHMRC Consumer Involvement Awardee, Professor James St John on involving consumers and the community in the codesign of an innovative therapy for spinal cord injury.
Our guest speakers will unpack the importance of involving consumers and the community in research, as well as the barriers they’ve had to overcome, particularly in bench-side research. They’ll also discuss the review of the NHMRC and Consumers Health Forum of Australia Ltd (CHF) Statement on Consumer and Community Involvement in Health and Medical Research and how to get involved in upcoming consultations.
As always, there will be an opportunity to ask questions of our guest speakers during a Q&A session. We think this webinar will be eye-opening, you don’t want to miss out!
Please note if you’re unable to attend, this Speaking of Science webinar will be recorded and published to NHMRC’s News Centre.
If you have any questions for the event organisers you can reach us at media@nhmrc.gov.au.
Meet our speakers:
Professor James St John is Head of the Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research within the Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics at Griffith University. Professor St John is a translational neuroscientist specialising in the creation and delivery of therapies to repair injuries and diseases of the nervous system, particularly spinal cord injury. Since the commencement of the Centre, Professor St John has been lead investigator on more than $35 million of research projects funded by philanthropy, state and federal government including NHMRC and MRFF funding. He has driven the development and codesign of an innovative cellular nerve bridge transplantation therapy to repair spinal cord injury (SCI) which is now progressing to a clinical trial in 2025.
Professor St John obtained his PhD in 1996 in Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne. He then applied his expertise in carbohydrate synthesis and manipulation to determining the role of carbohydrates in the development and regeneration of the mammalian brain. He held positions as an NHMRC post-doctoral fellow at the University of Melbourne and University of Queensland and has been chief investigator on NHMRC and ARC grants at the University of Queensland and Griffith University. In 2007 he took up the position of Group Leader at the Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery at Griffith University and in May 2016 he became Head of the Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research. He is the recipient of both the 2025 NHMRC Consumer Involvement Award and 2019 NHMRC Marshall and Warren Innovation Award.
Ms Ainslie Cahill AM is a Consumer Lead with Monash Partners, an NHMRC accredited partnership of 12 leading health service, teaching, and research organisations in Melbourne. She is a respected member of the Australian health community with a broad, nonpartisan consumer network that includes national and state peak bodies as well as local community groups, and extensive contacts in universities, medical research institutes and local health districts. Ms Cahill is known and regarded for her inclusive and collaborative approach and focus on equity and better health outcomes for all.
Ms Cahill led the health consumer organisation Arthritis Australia for 12 years and in 2020, was appointed a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia for her significant service to people with arthritis and community health groups. She also served as Director of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia board.
She is the current Chair of the NHMRC-MRFF Consumer Advisory Group (2024–2027), NHMRC Community Observers Working Committee, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Natural Therapies Review expert advisory panel and Co-Chair of the UNSW Health Systems Research Executive Committee among other appointments.
